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Image courtesy of Open Grid Europe
7.3.3 CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the technology used to capture the carbon
dioxide (CO ² ) emissions produced by fossil fuels in electricity generation and indus-
trial processes. Application of this technology could prevent large amounts of CO ²
from being released into the atmosphere, plus if used in combination with energy
forms like renewable biomass, can even remove carbon dioxide from the atmos-
phere.
CCS technology consists of three main parts, capturing the carbon dioxide through
the separation of CO ² from other gases, transporting it compressed via pipelines or
other methods, and storing the carbon dioxide emissions in depleted oil/gas fields or
other compatible geological storage formations, which could be facilitated through
the gas infrastructure currently in place.
CCS technology may not become commercially viable until 2030 or beyond. Prior to
this, significant reductions in CO ² can be achieved by switching from coal-fired power
generation to gas-fired power plants, which may see the closure of coal fuelled plants
in the short to medium term. With its flexibility to intermittent renewables, gas-fired
power plants with CCS technology can be a key part of the energy mix for the long
term, utilising either existing reserves or the increasing share of renewable gases.